Borderless Minds Podcast

Avsnitt

• 
  Cerise Inganji Part 3 of 3: Perseverance, Sacrifices and Traveling 21.12.2025 40min

  In the final part of this series, Cerise reflects on the perseverance it takes to be an immigrant and the importance of reminding yourself how far you’ve already come. She shares how gathering old documents while preparing to file for her green card, became a powerful reminder of everything she endured along the way. Cerise, Christian and Jado talk about the sacrifices that come with the pursuit of a better future, including long stretches of not seeing family. The episode closes on a lighter, more personal note as Cerise talks about her love for travel and birthdays and what kept her going through it all: God and her faith.
• 
  Cerise Inganji Part 2 of 3: Career, Visas and the Green Card Journey 14.12.2025 1h 3min

  In this episode, Cerise continues her journey, sharing how she moved from Little Rock, Arkansas to Nashville, Tennessee to work for a major company, all while navigating life on OPT, knowing the clock was already ticking. She reflects on the importance of maintaining strong relationships and the emotional toll of living on a visa. Cerise opens up about the highs and lows of balancing school, part-time work, and paying bills, all while navigating the uncertain path from an F-1 visa to a green card. The episode closes with an honest reflection on sacrifice: Is it all worth it?
• 
  Cerise Inganji Part 1 of 3: Culture Shock, Career Fairs & Courage 10.12.2025 1h

  In this episode, Cerise shares her journey from growing up in Rwanda to studying in the U.S. on a prestigious presidential scholarship. She talks about how her childhood dream of becoming a pharmacist shifted once she got to college and discovered engineering. Cerise walks us through the culture shocks of moving to America, the transition into college life, and how a career fair led to the internship that eventually became her full-time role in Arkansas. She also opens up about the realities of working as a young Black woman in a male-dominated field—imposter syndrome, discrimination, and what it takes to stand your ground. A story of grit, reinvention, and finding your lane in a new world. Tune in!
• 
  Borderless Minds Podcast Season 2 Premiere | Reflections, Career Editions & Policy Talk 16.10.2025 29min

  In this introductory episode of Season 2, Christian and Jado look back on their most memorable moments from Borderless Minds Season 1. They share what stood out from each guest — the lessons, laughter, and stories that defined our first season. As they look ahead, Christian & Jado tease exciting new additions for Season 2, including the Career Editions — a deeper dive into real career journeys, purpose, and growth. They wrap up the episode with a timely discussion on recent policy changes and how these shifts could affect people and communities in the future. Tune in for reflections, insights, and what’s next for Borderless Minds! 🌍 #BorderlessMinds #Podcast #CareerEditions #Season2 #PolicyTalk #Inspiration #internationstudents #immigrantstories
• 
  Nancy Umutoniwase: Part 3 of 3: From Internship to Job Offer | Navigating Work, Community & Future Goals 15.06.2025 58min

  In this episode, Nancy shares how a friend looked out for her and helped her craft a strong resume and how networking opened the door to a paid summer internship in Arizona - An internship that resulted into a job offer before graduation. Nancy talks about the challenges of securing work permits and getting experience/internships while still in schoolNancy reflects on how the internship changed the way her school department viewed her, leading to more recognition which made her feel a certain type of way. She also opens up about graduation, the role of community, embracing change, and her plans for the future. The episode closes with an honest conversation about navigating the H1B visa process and green card applications.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more stories from international students.#NancyUmutoniwase #InternationalStudentLife #InternshipSuccess #H1BVisa #GreenCardJourney #NetworkingTips #CareerDevelopment #DiversityInSTEM #StudentStories
• 
  Nancy Umutoniwase: Part 2 of 3: Nancy’s Journey of Growth, Struggle & Finding Purpose in College 08.06.2025 1h 3min

  In this episode, Nancy continues to share her journey as she recalls the 14-hour bus ride from Kentucky to West Virginia University (WVU).She recalls feeling the reality of being independent as her mom was getting ready to leave her by herself. Faced with anxiety about adjusting, succeeding, and finding her place, she began to question if she could handle it all. Things started to shift when she connected with a community of fellow Rwandan students—one of whom became like a big brother and helped her navigate the campus and the new reality of being an international student.The adjustment wasn’t easy. Nancy reflects on the difficulty of adjusting to unfamiliar food and the challenge of managing her own routine and schedule for the first time. With no job and limited money, Nancy learned to budget using YouTube. As she explored various academic paths, she eventually found her passion in mining engineering while also developing a deep interest in midwifery.She shares an honest look at battling depression in her third year in college, the importance of leaning on friends and family, and how gratitude helped her find strength during tough times.Nancy’s story is one of resilience and discovery.#NancyWVU #ImmigrantJourney #CollegeLife #MentalHealthAwareness #BecomingYou
• 
  Nancy Umutoniwase: Part 1 of 3: From Rwanda to WVU — A Journey of Faith and Family 01.06.2025 1h 3min

  In this episode, Nancy shares her inspiring journey from Rwanda to West Virginia. 🇷🇼✈️🇺🇸 She first arrived in the U.S. in 2014, landing in Kentucky with her mom and siblings before taking a 14-hour bus ride to Morgantown, WV. But her story begins much earlier. Nancy opens up about her experience at Gashora Girls Academy of Science and Technology—a place she didn’t want to attend at first but her dad talked her into giving it a shot for one year, and the rest is history. At Gashora, Nancy was introduced to a world of leadership, academic possibilities, strong mentorship, and college counseling. Inspired by her sister who was already studying in the U.S., Nancy began exploring opportunities abroad. A visit from a WVU representative at Gashora helped her envision her next steps, and her father’s encouragement leaned her towards engineering as a major of choice in college. A natural planner, Nancy shares how she leans on her faith to navigate the unexpected. She closes out Part 1 by recalling her U.S. Embassy interview and the confidence her mother taught her to carry into every room. From school uniforms to bold dreams, Nancy’s story is one of growth, courage, and determination.
• 
  Rubis Ngenzi - Part 3 of 3 [In Kinyarwanda]: Life After Graduation & the Journey Back Home 18.05.2025 1h 10min

  In the final episode of this inspiring series, Rubis reflects on the unexpected path his post-grad life took.He shares how learning Spanish to impress a girl led to an internship in Colombia 🇨🇴, and how that experience shaped his next steps.From graduating in the U.S. to navigating the job search, OPT process, and landing his first interview in New York—Rubis opens up about the highs, the hard lessons, and the hustle. When the dream job didn’t come through, he pivoted—working jobs from hostel staff to valet—to make it work. Eventually, with his OPT expiring, he made the decision to move back to Rwanda. Back home, Rubis talks about adjusting to the local job market, facing new challenges, and how the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything.The episode closes with a powerful conversation between Rubis and Christian about life, purpose, and what’s next.
• 
  Rubis Ngenzi - Part 2 of 3 [in Kinyarwanda]: Rubis on his desire to go to a US College, his experiences and finding his identity 11.05.2025 1h 10min

  In this episode, Rubis talks about why he wanted to go to College in the US - Dreams to play Basketball and in the NBA - his expectations and his reality when he arrived on campus.Rubis and Christian, who both were at the same college, discuss about Rubis' transition and how Christian helped make it easier as his roommate.Rubis discusses his early memories of racism in a statistics class and how that impacted him - realizing his blackness for the first time.This conversation takes turns in a variety of topics ranging from finding your identity in different cultures (black vs Rwandan), Pan-Africanism and educating oneself about one's history.Tune in for the full, funny and insightful conversation
• 
  Rubis Ngenzi - Part 1 of 3: Rubis on growing up as a refugee, basketball's impact on him and reminiscing on high school days 04.05.2025 52min

  In this episode, Rubis looks back on his early childhood memories growing up in Congo and fleeing to Rwanda in 1996. He also shares stories from his high school days and talks about how basketball had a big, positive impact on his life.The episode—and the whole series—is a mix of Kinyarwanda and English.
• 
  Kelly Umutoni - Part 4 of 4: Kelly on Job Hunting during the pandemic, Anxiety and Lessons Learned 26.03.2025 51min

  In the final installment of the series, Kelly opens up about her post-grad school journey and her challenges entering the job market during the COVID-19 pandemic. She recalls using a volunteer opportunity at her alma mater to pause the countdown on her OPT—just four days shy of the deadline. As Kelly reflects on navigating stress and anxiety during the pandemic, she shares the raw experience of her first-ever panic attack, and how having a close friend to lean on helped her navigate those turbulent moments. She wraps up by highlighting the most important lesson she's learned about herself throughout this journey: resilience. The conversation continues as Kelly, Jado, and Christian delve into a meaningful dialogue on mental health, self-care practices like hobbies, rest, journaling, and therapy, and discuss how to keep the conversation going within the broader community.
• 
  Kelly Umutoni - Part 3 of 4: Kelly on Mental Health, Grad School, and Navigating the Pandemic 05.03.2025 1h 2min

  In Part 3 of the series, Kelly reflects on her journey of returning home and struggling with depression, which she coped with by diving into work and spending time at restaurants. She shares how she felt disconnected from cultural norms she didn’t necessarily align with anymore. This led Kelly to start journaling, giving her a way to process her emotions and make sense of her experiences. Kelly also dives into her graduate school selection process, explaining what ultimately influenced her decision. Once in grad school, she highlights the importance of finding a supportive community of friends and classmates who played a key role in her journey. She goes on to share captivating stories from her post-grad school job search, which coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The challenges she faced during this time, both personal and professional, summarize her resilience. Tune in for an emotional rollercoaster, filled with personal insights, raw vulnerability, and Kelly's exceptional storytelling.
• 
  Kelly Umutoni - Part 2 of 4: Kelly’s college and post college journey 23.02.2025 1h 3min

  In this episode, Kelly opens up about her college experience at a Christian school, the challenges of navigating life after graduation, and the ups and downs of job hunting.She reflects on how she discovered the difference between a professional and non-professional architectural degree and how it impacted her job prospects.Kelly also shares how a serious injury during school tested her resilience, but ultimately brought her closer to a supportive community that helped her recover. She takes us on a journey through her unforgettable summer semester abroad in Italy and Spain, where she developed a deep love for classical architecture.Throughout her job search, Kelly met incredible people who played a key role in shaping her personal and professional growth. She reflects on how each encounter and challenge has contributed to the person she is today.Tune in for an inspiring and insightful conversation about overcoming obstacles, finding community, and following your passions.
• 
  A conversation with Kelly Umutoni - Part 1 of 4: Kelly’s High School Journey in the U.S. 16.02.2025 50min

  In the first episode of this series, Kelly shares her experience attending a boarding school in the U.S. as an international student. She opens up about adapting to the American education system, overcoming language barriers, and navigating high school sports.Kelly also reflects on the anxiety of college applications, the weight of expectations, and the challenge of finding a sense of belonging without a community to call her own.
• 
  A conversation with Igor Ngabo: studying abroad, H1B visa and work permits, grad school and working at the NIH 29.01.2025 2h 1min

  In this episode, Igor shares his unique journey—from being an international high school student at a U.S. boarding school, to studying a semester abroad in the U.K. during college.He opens up about why he decided against medical school, how his career took a different path, and the challenges he faced with work permits and visas. Plus, he shares valuable insights on what he wishes he’d known back then. Tune in for a candid, insightful conversation packed with stories, lessons learned, and some surprises along the way!
• 
  Adjusting to the New American System and Life 12.12.2024 1h 9min

  In this episode, Jado and Christian discuss their new life in the U.S., including the adjustments to different systems like the metric system and currency. They also share their first school experiences, dealing with the freshman 15, job searches, and more funny stories.
• 
  A Conversation with Kenny Ntwali 11.11.2024 1h 31min

  In this episode, we are excited to introduce our first guest and entrepreneur, Kenny Ntwali!Kenny shares his journey, from navigating life as an international student in the U.S. during high school and college to the unique experiences of post-graduation life. Kenny also dives into why he chose to pursue entrepreneurship in Rwanda instead of staying in the U.S. Join us for a fun and insightful conversation filled with stories and lessons learned along Kenny’s path as an entrepreneur!”
• 
  Coming to America, Travel plans and First week on campus 10.10.2024 1h 20min

  In this episode, Jado and Christian talk about their coming to America travel plans, share stories of their travel experience and their first day in America.
• 
  College Applications, Visas, and Embassy Interviews 19.09.2024 59min

  In this episode, Jado and Christian take you through their personal journeys, from navigating the college application process to visa applications and their experiences during embassy interviews.As Christian reminisces about his high school basketball days, he and Jado set the stage for the podcast by exploring their motivations for studying abroad in the U.S. Jado also recalls memorizing every detail from his school pamphlet after admission to prepare for his embassy interview.Tune in for a heartfelt conversation packed with personal stories and valuable insights!
• 
  Introduction 28.08.2024 48min

  In this first episode, Jado and Christian delve into the start of their personal journeys to study abroad in the US. They explore their current activities and how they arrived at choosing their college majors, including the influences behind those choices. They also discuss the factors that led them to select their respective schools and the associated costs of attending college. Additionally, Jado and Christian introduce other topics that will be covered in future episodes, such as work permits, obtaining a driver’s license, acquiring a Social Security number, and more.